Figgy is my first dog with major skin allergies. He's on a grain-free diet (we have to keep switching...he's good for a while, then his allergies blow up again. He's currently on Buffalo Before Grain.

Anywhoo...he gets hair loss issues when his food is bad, where it thins out around his nose and head when the allergies flair up. Well, that seems to be under control for now, but he's missing all of his hair on his throat where his collars sit. He does not wear a collar in the house at all, but does wear one when he goes out (which is for 4-5 hours midday, most of the week). His coats all hit him in that same spot (and he wears coats and such, even in the house...as he shivers and gets cold easily. Right now he's wearing a collarmania martingale collar, so it's even more loose on him than even his regular collars (my guys wear their collars looser than most dogs).

Any thoughts, ideas, suggestions?

"I don't have any idea if my dogs respect me or not, but they're greedy and I have their stuff." -- Patty Ruzzo

"Dogs don't want to control people. They want to control their own lives." --John Bradshaw

Not all grain-free kibbles are alike, and if Fig is allergic to certain meat products as well... I had Faust on NB Duck&Potato for quite some time, and I was overall pretty happy w/the results... but then TOTW came out w/their Pacific Stream formula a few months ago, and since I liked the ingredients MUCH better I switched Faust over to that. I also religiously add three squirts of Salmon Oil to his food each day, and I have definitely noticed a huge difference in the way his fur feels/looks.He used to have some almost-bald spots in various places on his body, and his hair was always on the "thin" side. Not anymore.

we have to keep switching...he's good for a while, then his allergies blow up again

How long, on average, is he "good" on a certain kibble?

As for collars... Faust wears a 1/2" tag collar at all times (from Collarmania - simple, no-frills leather collar, very loose on his neck), and his other 347 collars are worn to the vet, or when he goes for a walk. So, never long enough to cause a severe reaction or an outbreak - it's the only long-term solution for him, I think.We have a deer skin-lined collar from Brad, and we're easing into wearing that for a couple of hours at a time to see how he tolerates it. So far, so good.

Have you ever thought about using just a harness for Figs midday outings? I know they make some where the material doesn't touch the neck at all.

I was wondering how long he was "good" for on a certain kibble, as well...On average, a dog can take up to 3 months to react to a new ingredient or protein, or longer...

But... hairloss is common, if infection starts, then the follicle may drop the hair after a bit and take a while longer to regrow. Oscar has a patch on his tail right now that has been bare for probably 3 months at least, in part because he's had a localized skin infection that came back in that area a few times Between the allergies and the Pred., Oscar is missing a lot of his undercoat, which I doubt will ever come back, since it has been missing for a loooong time.

I can only please one person per day. Today is not your day, tomorrow doesn't look good either.
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"You didn't know of the magical powers of the break stick? It's up there with genies and Harry Potter as far as magic levels go." SisMorphine 01/07/07

Malli wrote:I was wondering how long he was "good" for on a certain kibble, as well...On average, a dog can take up to 3 months to react to a new ingredient or protein, or longer...

But... hairloss is common, if infection starts, then the follicle may drop the hair after a bit and take a while longer to regrow. Oscar has a patch on his tail right now that has been bare for probably 3 months at least, in part because he's had a localized skin infection that came back in that area a few times Between the allergies and the Pred., Oscar is missing a lot of his undercoat, which I doubt will ever come back, since it has been missing for a loooong time.

ACK...I wonder if the hair on Pigeon's sides will EVER grow back then. She's pretty much BARE where she's stood and scratched with her hind paw, on both sides. Plus she has a bare spot on her tail as well.

“Hope has two beautiful daughters: their names are Anger and Courage. Anger that things are the way they are. Courage to make them the way they ought to be.”----Augustine

He was on Natural Balance potato and chicken for the past 3-4 months or so, but I think the lack of protein sources in the top of the ingredients list was making him itchier/flakier...so I've put him on the BG because is has more protein in the top. His skin has stopped being so flaky now. He gets salmon oil squirted on his food a couple of times a week, and a fish oil and a vit. E capsule daily. He's almost two, and he's been on several foods...I get a 4-6# bag of food, and that lasts him over a month...and he goes through at least 2 bags before I switch him.

His coat looks great overall, it's soft and shiny...his biggest allergy flare-up is just plain flaking and itching...the hair loss doesn't come on suddenly, and it's usually not a big patch, it's just thin in places. Except this collar area...Christine, you might have a good idea about the harness...it just doesn't work real well during the winter months when he also has to wear a coat. :/ And I wonder if he'd lose hair on his chest or underbelly if he wore a harness more often. *sigh*

"I don't have any idea if my dogs respect me or not, but they're greedy and I have their stuff." -- Patty Ruzzo

"Dogs don't want to control people. They want to control their own lives." --John Bradshaw

Couldn't you fit the harness over the coat somehow? Are his coats snug-fitting or are they pretty loose as well?

You could always sew a d-ring on his coat to attach the leash... depending on the make of the coat, and as long as it doesn't come off easily.He seems to be a very well-behaved leash-walker... it's worth a try.

[quote="amazincc"]Couldn't you fit the harness over the coat somehow? Are his coats snug-fitting or are they pretty loose as well?

Ahahahahaha...he's an awful leash walker...I'm ashamed to say.

I think the coats might be rubbing the hair off too...no matter which coat I put on him, if it fits correctly, it sits right at the hair loss spot. I'm gonna pull *my* hair out over this problem. He has tons of coats, but one really good one that I bought that's specially made for wieners...that's the one that is the biggest problem, I think. I've loosened the front strap-thingy, so hopefully it won't rub too much. I just feel like I can't win...

"I don't have any idea if my dogs respect me or not, but they're greedy and I have their stuff." -- Patty Ruzzo

"Dogs don't want to control people. They want to control their own lives." --John Bradshaw

I can only please one person per day. Today is not your day, tomorrow doesn't look good either.
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"You didn't know of the magical powers of the break stick? It's up there with genies and Harry Potter as far as magic levels go." SisMorphine 01/07/07

Malli wrote:Are Dachsys one of the breeds that just get thinning hair??

I know min pins have it...

I'm pretty sure they do. A lot of the ones we see usually have hair loss on their head, ears, arm pits, etc. But I don't think it grows back...

I don't really have any suggestions for the hair loss when it's happening. Have you considered using steroids? Your vet can prescribe you something like Temaril-P which is a lower dose steroid pill that can be given when your dog is having allergy flair ups. You could also try a depo-medrol injection. My cat has severe food allergies and he gets a depo injection 1-2 times a year because he'll itch his face off otherwise. You can give the Temaril-P when he starts getting itchy and that might help so he doesn't itch his hair off.

Malli wrote:I was wondering how long he was "good" for on a certain kibble, as well...On average, a dog can take up to 3 months to react to a new ingredient or protein, or longer...

But... hairloss is common, if infection starts, then the follicle may drop the hair after a bit and take a while longer to regrow. Oscar has a patch on his tail right now that has been bare for probably 3 months at least, in part because he's had a localized skin infection that came back in that area a few times Between the allergies and the Pred., Oscar is missing a lot of his undercoat, which I doubt will ever come back, since it has been missing for a loooong time.

ACK...I wonder if the hair on Pigeon's sides will EVER grow back then. She's pretty much BARE where she's stood and scratched with her hind paw, on both sides. Plus she has a bare spot on her tail as well.

I bet they will.... Remember, Oscar's skin looks much more "normal" then hers, and we have been dealing with skin issues for close to 9 years If the skin is inflammed, likely when the inflammation goes down and the skin heals she'll regrow it. Its har to explain, but Oscar's coat is more like a "thinning hair" look, if that makes sense, .

I can only please one person per day. Today is not your day, tomorrow doesn't look good either.
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"You didn't know of the magical powers of the break stick? It's up there with genies and Harry Potter as far as magic levels go." SisMorphine 01/07/07

Hair on a Doorknob is FANTASTIC, but be careful, it packs on pounds. There are no grains in it, it's very different than Satin Balls.

There are four ingredients - peanut butter, honey, and two different things for horses. It tastes just like a power bar.

I used it for Riggs before UKC nationals a few years ago. His coat was pretty much gone on his back legs, shoulders and head. In six weeks he looked fantastic; but he also looked like a COW... he was 52 pounds at his weigh in (or maybe 54, I'm blocking it out of my mind.)

Michelle

Inside me is a thin woman trying to get out. I usually shut the bitch up with a martini.

Connor's surgery was at the end of October. Until last week, his ass was still bald, like z-e-r-o hair. So I mixed up a batch and we have been giving him some every night with dinner. The hair has started to come in already, there is a fine covering of "peach fuzz" over the entire patch.

I don't know why it works, but it DOES!

Michelle

Inside me is a thin woman trying to get out. I usually shut the bitch up with a martini.